Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity (Pt. 19)

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —

Every man has something of his own which he loves above all things. This is called that which rules, or if you will, that which reigns universally with him. This is constantly present in his thought, and also in his will, and makes his veriest life.

As for example, he who loves wealth above all things, whether money or possessions, is continually revolving in his mind how he may procure it; he inmostly rejoices when he acquires it; he inmostly grieves when he loses it; his heart is in it. He who loves himself above all things is mindful of himself in everything, thinks of himself, speaks of himself, acts for the sake of himself; for his life is a life of self.

A man has as the end that which he loves above all things; in each and all things he has regard to this; it is in his will like the hidden current of a river which draws and bears him away, even when he is doing something else, for it is what animates him. It is this which one man searches out in another, and also sees, and according to it either leads him, or acts with him.

When a man is being regenerated, charity is implanted by means of faith, even until it becomes that which rules; and when charity has become this, he has a new life, for it is then continually present in his thought, and continually in his will, nay, in every single thing of them, even when he is meditating about other things, and when he is engaged in business.

The case is the same with love to the Lord. When this love is that which rules, it is present in every single thing of the man's life; as for instance with him who loves his king, or his parent, his love toward them shines forth in their presence from every feature of his face, it is heard in every expression of his speech, and is seen in his every gesture. This is meant by having God continually before the eyes, and by loving Him above all things, with all the soul and with all the heart.

A man is wholly such as is the ruling principle of his life; by this he is distinguished from others; according to this is formed his heaven if he is good, and his hell if he is evil; for it is his veriest will, and thus the very being of his life, which cannot be changed after death. From all this it is evident what is the nature of the life of one who is regenerate, and what is the nature of the life of one who is not regenerate.

(Arcana Coelestia 8853-8858)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity (Pt. 18)

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —

Everyone has an internal man and an external man; the internal man is what is called the spiritual man, and the external man is what is called the natural man. Both must be regenerated for the man to be regenerated.

With the man who has not been regenerated the external or natural man commands, and the internal or spiritual man serves; but with the man who has been regenerated the internal or spiritual man commands, and the external or natural serves. This inversion cannot possibly exist except through regeneration by the Lord.

So long as the external man has not been regenerated, he makes all good consist in pleasure, in gain, in pride, and burns with hatred and revenge against those who set themselves in opposition; and then the internal man not only consents, but also supplies reasons which confirm and promote; thus the internal man serves and the external commands.

But when the external man has been regenerated, the internal man makes all good consist in thinking well of the neighbor and willing well to him, and the external man makes all good consist in speaking well of him and acting well toward him; and at last each has as its end to love the neighbor and to love the Lord, and not as before to love self and to love the world. In this case the external or natural man serves, and the internal or spiritual man commands.

The internal man is first regenerated by the Lord, and afterward the external man, and the latter by means of the former. The internal man is regenerated by thinking those things which are of faith, and willing them; but the external man by a life according to them. The life of faith is charity.

The man who has been regenerated is in heaven as to his internal man, and is an angel there with angels, among whom also he comes after death. He can then live the life of heaven, love the Lord, love the neighbor, understand truth, relish good, and perceive blessedness therefrom. These things are the happiness of eternal life.

(Arcana Coelestia 8742-8747)
(series to be continued)

Seriatim Remarks on the Doctrine of Charity (Pt. 17)

Selection from Arcana Coelestia ~ Emanuel Swedenborg
— Doctrinal Things of Charity —

No one can be regenerated unless he knows such things as are of the new life, that is, of spiritual life; for man is introduced into this life by means of regeneration. The things which are of the new life, or of spiritual life, are truths which must be believed, and goods which must be done; the former are of faith, the latter of charity.

No one can know these things from himself, for man apprehends only those things which have been obvious to his senses; from these he has procured for himself a light which is called natural light, by virtue of which he sees nothing else than what belongs to the world and to himself, and not what belongs to heaven and to God; these he must learn from revelation.

For example, that the Lord, who was God from eternity, came into the world to save the human race; that He has all power in heaven and in earth; that everything of faith and everything of charity, thus everything of truth and good is from Him; that there is a heaven, and that there is a hell; that man will live to eternity, in heaven if he has done well, in hell if he has done evil.

These things and more are of faith, which must be known by the man who is to be regenerated; for he who knows them can think them, then will them, and lastly do them, and thus have new life.

On the other hand, he who does not know that the Lord is the Savior of the human race, cannot have faith in Him, worship Him, love Him, and thus do good for His sake. He who does not know that all good is from Him, cannot think that his own righteousness and his own salvation are from Him, still less can he will it to be so, thus he cannot live from Him. He who does not know that there is a hell, and that there is a heaven, nor that there is eternal life, cannot even think about the life of heaven, nor apply himself to receiving it; and so in all other things.

From all this it can be seen what the quality of the life of a regenerate person is, that it is a life of faith; and also that it cannot be given to a man until he is in such a state as to be able to acknowledge the truths of faith, and insofar as he acknowledges them, to will them.

(Arcana Coelestia 8635-8640)
(series to be continued)